It's been a poor week for running and photography. Just three short runs amounting to 8 miles and a weekend when I never stepped out of the house other than to bring in more coal and logs to keep the cottage warm. A banana back was the problem, aggravated somewhat during a contretemps with an irresponsible dog owner on Thursday's dawn run up Castle Hill.
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| My Castle Hill circuit (Click to enlarge) |
It was an icy morning. Gritters had been out all night. Not only had I to wear a jacket and hat, and lag my legs, but also wear a buff over my mouth to warm the freezing cold air I was inhaling. Reaching the perimeter path round Castle Hill at breaking dawn I noticed what looked like a 20 stone Sumo wrestler ambling towards me through the gloom with a huge black Labrador of similar proportions and a very unfriendly spaniel, neither of which were on a lead.
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| Gritter in action (picture from Huddersfield Examiner) |
As I got closer the spaniel flew past and proceeded to attack from behind, thankfully without actually biting, while the overweight Labrador backed off a few steps before hurling itself at me like a sack of coal, bouncing me off the path and temporarily numbing my Lt thigh. I limped off, swearing and massaging my leg while the Sumo guy shouted at his idiot dogs and carried on his way.
Sunrise brought no joy that morning.
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| A bit dodgy past Ashes Farm on the way home |
Saturday and Sunday heralded Grassington's first of two Dickensian market weekends. I'd planned to include it in a five mile run with the idea of getting new and different pictures for my blog but it wasn't to be. There was no way my back would allow me to run. Crosswords became the order of the day, and I struggled with those. We both did.
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| Sunset, for a change, from my window |
I forget which day it was, my wonderful partner was struggling to fix a curtain rail in the bedroom but eventually finished up breaking it and having to take the whole thing down. It corresponded with the rising of the latest super moon which that night cast its luminous light through the curtain-less window to sweep through the room and across the bed, filling my sleepless brain with mega doses of Puccini and that beautiful love duet sung by Rolando Villazon with the amazing Russian Soprano, Anna Netrebko -
O Soave Fanculla
...Lovely maid in the moonlight...
O Soave Fanculla
...Lovely maid in the moonlight...
There's still a wee bit of romance left in the old dog!
So sorry to hear about the dog attack. There is no excuse for the owner of the dog to let them do that.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful sunset.
Thanks Karen. The same two dogs had a go at me once before but their adipose owner still doesn't put them on leads, not for my sake or anyone else's. Shame his brain doesn't match the size of his body.
DeleteIt always makes me cross to read / hear about dog attacks like this. There really is no excuse for the owner of the dog to let them them do this. Grrr!
ReplyDeleteThat sunset is beautiful so to is the music, what amazing voices.
All the best Jan
I was thinking dogs were becoming more docile and blaming the Kennel Club for lots of in-breeding knocking the aggression out of them. I used to be terrified of Alsatians but most I meet are quite friendly now. Just when I thought running was becoming safer, along come a couple of canine miscreants to prove otherwise. As you say Jan - Grrrrr!
DeleteLovely report as usual, not sure about, nothing to report, always good to hear you are getting out and provides us youngsters with inspiring words and pictures. As for dogs, they, well the owners are the Bain of runners lives! I get very cross when I encounter poorly controlled dogs, they should all ( in my opinion) be on a short lead! Keep on running and enjoying the countryside.
ReplyDeleteTrouble is Ian, nearly all my runs are in off-road country areas where people go specifically to allow dogs to run free and poop wherever they jolly well like without the hassle of having to clean it up. On Castle Hill where there are no farm animals to chase, and hardly any rabbits now, a few dogs turn their attention to other things that run. Like me!
DeleteI might stick to running round the local cemetery for a while where dog walkers must keep their dogs on leads and also carry poop bags to clean up - by law.
Crikey Gordon, so sorry to hear about the dog attack. Stupid owner. Love your photos as always. I have a message for you: "If you'd been shoved in a box with assorted Xmas decoration for decades then your antennae would be in a twist too! Love from silver butterfly". Btw, I haven't had any joy tracing your old adversary yet. I asked the club membership secretary and she referred me on to the former President who still hasn't got back to me.
ReplyDelete